4. Give volunteers public recognition for their service to the club

People want to be appreciated for what they do. Public recognition for service to the club (such as managing the website or securing meeting speakers) is as important as recognition for public outreach.

The BIG SECRET about public recognition of volunteers: It’s not just for the volunteers. It’s also a way for your club to:

Make club members aware of all the work that goes on behind the scenes.

Highlight the importance of each position to the success of the club.

Show members the variety of positions that need volunteers.

Contribute to fostering a culture of service to the club where all members expect to eventually serve in some way.

Top motivations for people to volunteer:

An interest in learning something new.

A strong desire to do something to contribute to the club’s mission.

A sense of obligation, of giving back.

The prestige, recognition, or connections the position offers.

To have fun.

Recognition does not need to involve gifts or cash rewards. Very few people are motivated to volunteer for the primary purpose of getting some monetary reward or gift (e.g. reduced dues, a special mug). Feel free, however, to offer gifts or perks in appreciation for service.

“There are no trophies, no money -- what’s important is the thank-you. If someone recognizes what you do, that’s enough because we’re all volunteers -- we do it because we want to, not because we have to.”

Ideas for Giving Public Recognition

The Volunteer Coordinator can be responsible for thanking volunteers publicly:

Put a notice in the newsletter a few times a year.

Have the volunteers stand up and thank them at club meetings.

Have an annual award ceremony to recognize all the members who serve the club in some way.

Consider having a special name badge or pin to identify volunteers and the type of service they perform or the position they currently hold. These are passed along to the next member who takes over the position.

Some clubs give pins or buttons to members who help out at public outreach events.

Sharing the Universe videos are produced by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) from research conducted by the Institute for Learning Innovation, the ASP, and from astronomy clubs like yours. www.astrosociety.org/SharingTheUniverse

The Sharing the Universe project is funded by the National
Science Foundation and is supported by the Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) of the National Science Foundation under Grant Number DRL 0638873. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.